Crimson Stained Sakura
by Grave Of Maria
Summary: If she could protect the future,make it a bright one worth living in,then maybe,just maybe she could save herself and Zenzo the horrible fate of clashing swords. No fighting,no bloodshed and no gruesome deaths. They could live normal lives. Zenzo/Kurenai


_Disclaimer: Don't own Red Ninja: End of Honor._

**Special Thanks to:** This story was inspired by DeviantChaos story 'What The Future Holds'. You should check it out, it's awesome :)

Warning: Spoilers if you haven't played the entire game through, and horrible grammer and stuff like that. mild glore, blah blah blah.

Pairing: Zenzo/Kurenai

Summary: If she could protect the future and make it a bright one worth living in, then maybe, just maybe she could save herself and Zenzo the horrible fate of clashing swords. No more fighting, no more unnecessary bloodshed and no more gruesome deaths. They could live a normal,_ safe_ life.

A/N: If you wish to beta this, cause it's currently unbeta-ed , i would greatly appreciate it!

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><p>Crimson Stained Sakura<p>

Prologue

The night was new and the wind was rough, yet Kurenai didn't seem to notice. How could she when she had just killed her Master, someone who had raised her when she was just a child and saved her from death, only a couple of hours ago? The moonlight illuminated the large sakura tree upon the hill, the same one that Kurenai was hung on all those years ago. _Ironic,_ she thought, _how the person who saved me was the same one who damned me to death. And my family…_

Her father, whose blood splattered onto her pale face after his throat was sliced in front of her eyes, she hadn't thought of him for some time now. She felt guilty, but with the whole 'gun' ordeal, who could blame her? Still, it'll be right to pay homage to his grave before she left the Takeda lands. And her beautiful mother. She couldn't forget about her. She was Kurenai's last thought before getting dragged into a death dealing way of life.

Yes, even now she could still remember…

The sad expression that had claimed her lovely face within Kurenai's dream was enough to wake her up from slumber. She was crying, her mother, perhaps at the knowledge of the night's tragic events. Kurenai always wondered what would have happened if she had stay asleep within her room, in the company of the saddened woman that lived a time ago. Or what would have happened if she had figured out that her mother was trying to save them from imminent death, but she was young and naïve and still in grief over her mommy's death.

"_I'm sure she will smile next time…_" She recalled her father's words, but she had to say he lied. She never smiled the next time.

Looking up at the pale pink petals on the sakura flowers, she fancied herself back on the wire again, dangling from the burly branch a distance up. Her crimson blood dripped onto the hundreds of blossoms beneath her feet, soaking up the draining life. She lost so much blood; she would believe it was the cause of the deepened color of the flowers as the roots soaked up the precious liquid. Kurenai fell into a lucid dream when her body couldn't take much more of her pain. There she met her mother. Again she was crying, though this dream was different than the one she previously had. Her father was there too, holding onto his wife as he shed a few tears.

This was when Master Chiyome rescued Kurenai from her supposed resting place.

With a sharp intake of breath, the kunoichi stopped her thoughts from going further. Instead, she rested her hand gently on the rough bark of the tree that was another part of her. Like a piece of her soul that existed outside of her body for the soul purpose of reclaiming something out of her reach that she will gain at her final moments. She had dreamed, from the night before her first mission, that she would survive every trial just so she could die and return the life that had been given to her by this exact tree. She had chosen her grave for when the time finally comes and it would be right here, entangled within the roots.

Before that could happen, there were things she needed to take care of first. It's going to take some time, but she could do it. With the help of the tantō that Zenzo had loaned her, she believes she could even if it'll take a couple of years to accomplish it. Ah, Zenzo. A small smile appeared on Kurenai's coral colored lips. She owes her life entirely to him. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have been standing there gazing at the cherry blossom tree. It was unfair of fate to have them be enemies. Zenzo was the last of her family with Master Chiyome and Akemi gone. It hurt Kurenai to think that someday, if they were on opposing sides, she'd have to kill him too.

"_Kurenai…look after…the future…of this world…_" These were Master Chiyome's last words to her. Out of spite she had planned on disregarding them, but when her mind cleared enough for rational thoughts to pass, she held them close to her heart.

If she could protect the future and make it a bright one worth living in, then maybe, just maybe she could save herself and Zenzo the horrible fate of clashing swords. The repugnant suffering of killing and staining their hands with freshly spilled blood. No more fighting, no more unnecessary bloodshed and no more gruesome deaths. They could live a normal,_ safe_ life.

Glancing up into the shining sky, she could just make out the beginning of the rising sun. She hadn't notice the night slip by so fast and silently. It was time for her to leave this place one and for all…at least until she was sure she wouldn't be forced to kill her remaining family and loved one, Zenzo. She'll be back, sometime in the future hopefully under better circumstances. She would love to remain close to this place, more specifically this tree. It holds too many important memories for her to just up turn and leave it behind. _No_, she promised,_ I will one day come back to you even if it is to solely die. I will be back._

"_Go._" Zenzo said. "_One day, there will no longer be Oda or Takeda. When that time comes, we'll meet again._"

"_This protected me, Zenzo_." Kurenai solemnly told him, holding out the tantō he had lent her after saving her from her mistake. "_I am in your debt_. _Thank you_."

He pushed the blade back towards her. "_No. You hold on to it. I'll lend it to you, Kurenai_."

She gazed at him with confusion shining in her eyes.

"_That sword brings luck_." With that, he turned away from the girl he used to look after. Before he could get more than 5 steps he stopped without turning to stare at her. His voice had gone lower, softer than normal that their impact had hit them both hard in the heart. His words were the cold hearted truth. "_The next time we meet, if I am your enemy…"_ He craned his neck to the side to get a final glimpse. "_Use that sword to kill me._"

Her heart pounded within her ears as her eyes lingered on his retreating back, slipping onto the lucky sword before she too turned and ran away.

Relishing the feeling of gentle carcasses of the falling snow like petals on her exposed skin, she stashed the ninja suit she wore under the tree roots that curved and opened into a little cave. Kurenai once again donned the crimson kimono she replicated from her younger years when she lived peacefully with her father. Adjusting the attached and hidden wire and tantō, Kurenai took a few steps away before abruptly stopping. She had almost forgotten something.

Turning back, she kneeled down on the ground, hands digging a shallow grave. She grabbed the dark ruby stone from her pocket within the folds of the red kimono, and tossed in it, patting the dirt back over it. Content, she stood and left the scenery behind her, trotting into a full run when she saw the white delicate wings of a familiar butterfly.

_You're right Akemi, we are ninja…we can never die._

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><p>This is a whim story of mine, I plan for it to be multi-chapter, hopefully! Once again, if anyone wants to beta, message me!<p>

Mr. Jack


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